daughter Grace unto Samuel, Christiana's son, to wife, and his daughter Martha to Joseph. The time, as I said, that they lay here, was long (for it was not now as in former times); wherefore the Pilgrims grew acquainted with many of the good people of the Town, and did them what service they could. Mercy, as she was wont, laboured much for the poor; wherefore their bellies and backs blessed her, and she was there an ornament to her profession. And, to say the truth, for Grace, Phebe, and Martha, they were all of a very good nature, and did much good in their places. They were also all of them very fruitful; so that Christian's name, as was said before, was like to live in the world. A MONSTER. While they lay here, there came a Monster out of the woods, and slew many of the people of the Town. It would also carry away their children, and teach them to suck its whelps. Now no man in the Town durst so much as face this Monster; but all fled when they heard the noise of his coming. The Monster was like unto no one beast on the earth. Its body was like a dragon, and it had seven heads and ten horns. It made great havoc of children, 4 and yet it was governed by a woman. HIS SHAPE. HIS NATURE. This Monster propounded conditions to men; and such men as loved their lives more than their souls accepted of those conditions. So they came under. Now Mr. Great-heart, together with those who came to visit the Pilgrims at Mr. Mnason's house, entered into a covenant to go and engage this Beast, 4 Rev. xiii. 1; xvii. 3. if perhaps they might deliver the people of this Town from the paws and mouths of this so devouring a Serpent. Then did Mr. Great-heart, Mr. Contrite, Mr. Holyman, Mr. Dare-not-lie, and Mr. Penitent, with their weapons, go forth to meet him. Now the Monster at first was very rampant, and looked upon these enemies with great disdain; but they so belaboured him, being sturdy men at HOW HE IS arms, that they made him make a retreat; so they came home to Mr. Mnason's house again. The Monster, you must know, had his certain seasons to come out in, and to make his attempts upon the children of the people of the Town. At these seasons did these valiant worthies watch him in, and did still continually assault him; insomuch that, in process of time, he became not only wounded, but lame; also he has not made that havoc of the townsmen's children, as formerly he had done. And it is verily believed by some that this Beast will die of his wounds. This, therefore, made Mr. Great-heart and his fellows of great fame in this Town; so that many of the people, that wanted their taste of things, yet had a reverent esteem and respect for them. Upon this account, therefore, it was that these Pilgrims got not much hurt here. True, there were some of the baser sort, that could see no more than a mole, nor understand no more than a beast; these had no reverence for these men, nor took they notice of their valour and adventures. Well, the time grew on that the Pilgrims must go on their way, wherefore they prepared for their journey. They sent for their friends; they conferred with them; they had some time set apart therein to commit each other to the protection of their Prince. There were again that brought them of such things as they had, that were fit for the weak and the strong, for the women and the men; and so laded them with such things as were necessary.5 Then they set forward on their way; and their friends accompanying them so far as was convenient, they again committed each other to the protection of their King, and parted. They, therefore, that were of the Pilgrims' company, went on, and Mr. Great-heart went before them. Now, the women and children being weakly, they were forced to go as they could bear; by this means Mr. Ready-to-halt and Mr. Feeble-mind had more to sympathize with their condition. When they were gone from the townsmen, and when their friends had bid them farewell, they quickly came to the place where Faithful was put to death; therefore they made a stand, and thanked Him that had enabled him to bear his cross so well; and the rather, because they now found that they had a benefit by such a manly suffering as his was. They went on, therefore, after this, a good way farther, talking of Christian and Faithful, and how Hopeful joined himself to Christian after that Faithful was dead. Now they were come up with the hill Lucre, where the Silver Mine was, which took Demas off from his Acts xxviii. 10. pilgrimage, and into which, as some think, By-ends fell and perished; wherefore they considered that. But when they were come to the old Monument that stood over against the hill Lucre, to wit, to the pillar of salt, that stood also within view of Sodom and its stinking lake, they marvelled, as did Christian before, that men of that knowledge and ripeness of wit, as they were, should be so blinded as to turn aside here. Only they considered again, that nature is not affected with the harms that others have met with, especially if that thing upon which they look has an attracting virtue upon the foolish eye. I saw now that they went on till they came to the river that was on the side of the Delectable Mountains; to the river where the fine trees grow on both sides, and whose leaves, if taken inwardly, are good against surfeits; where the meadows are green all the year long, and where they might lie down safely. By this river-side, in the meadows, there were cotes and folds for sheep, a house built for the nourishing and bringing up of those lambs, the babes of those women that go on pilgrimage. Also there was here one that was intrusted with them, who could have compassion, and that could "gather these lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom," and that could "gently lead those that are with young."8 Now, to the care of this Man Christiana admonished her four daughters to commit their little ones, that, by these waters, they might be housed, harboured, succoured, and nourished, and that none of them might be lacking in time to come.9 This Man, if any of them go astray or 6 Psal. xxiii. 7 Heb. v. 2. 8 Isa. xl. 11. 9 Jer. xxiii. 4. be lost, he will bring them again; he will also "bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen them that are sick." 1 Here they will never want meat, drink, and clothing; here they will be kept from thieves and robbers; for this Man will die before one of those committed to his trust shall be lost. Besides, here they shall be sure to have good nurtriture and admonition, and shall be taught to walk in right paths, and that, you know, is a favour of no small account. Also here, as you see, are delicate waters, pleasant meadows, dainty flowers, variety of trees, and such as bear wholesome fruit; fruit not like that which Matthew ate of, that fell over the wall, out of Beelzebub's garden; but fruit that procureth health where there is none, and that continueth and increaseth it where it is. So they were content to commit their little ones to him; and that which was also an encouragement to them so to do was, for that all this was to be at the charge of the King; and so was as an hospital to young children and orphans. Now they went on, and when they THEY BEING COME HAVE A MIND TO were come to By-path Meadow, to the To BY-PATH STILE, stile over which Christian went with his fellow Hopeful, when they were taken by Giant Despair, and put into Doubting Castle, they sat down and consulted what was best to be done; to wit, now they were so strong, and had got such a man as Mr. Great-heart for their Conductor, whether they had not best to make an attempt upon the Giant, demolish his Castle, and if 1 Jer. xxiii. 4. Ezek. xxxiv. 11-16. |